Tim Hortons’ New Innovation Café Tests Vegan Milk Options

Canadian chain Tim Hortons recently opened its first “innovation café” at 130 King Street in Toronto, which will offer three vegan milk options: almond, soy, and oat. Currently, the chain—Canada’s largest quick-service restaurant chain known for its coffee and doughnuts—only offers soy milk at select standard locations. Its new innovation café is a modern interpretation of its standard restaurant where the brand will test new menu items and technology initiatives. The drink menu will include new draft lattes (a nitro-infused cold brew coffee), espresso-based beverages such as americanos, lattes, cappuccinos, flat whites, cortados, and macchiatos, and new tea beverages—all of which can be made with vegan milk. The café also offers seven different coffee brewing methods and premium doughnuts, sandwiches, and soups (vegan food options have yet to be confirmed). “We want Tim Hortons 130 King to become a must-visit destination for Torontonians and for guests from other cities not just throughout Canada, but around the world,” Alex Macedo, Tim Hortons President, said. “This restaurant offers guests a new and innovative experience from the second they walk in the door.” Earlier this year, the chain market tested three new menu items made with Beyond Meat’s vegan Beyond Breakfast Sausage (including one that is fully vegan) at select locations. A month later, it expanded the options to its nearly 4,000 locations across the country. The chain has since added two Beyond Burger options and is currently testing JUST Egg vegan omelettes—which can be ordered atop breakfast sandwiches for an additional CAD 60¢ (USD 46¢)—at select Canadian locations in Kitchener-Waterloo, Vaughan, and Richmond Hill.